I took a hiatus from blogging but I am happy to be back and sharing new work. Last fall I worked with the lovely Melissa from Salty Spruce Photography Studio to rebrand her business and help her identify her ideal clients.

As we worked through the answers of her survey I start every project with it became clear her two ideal clients she loved working with were the adventurous couple who wanted a small intimate wedding or elopement and the creative entrepreneur who wanted branded images for their website and social media channels to match their personality.

The first step in the process was to design a mood board that helped establish a look and feel for her brand. Melissa named her business after her two loves, the ocean and the mountains. Having grown up going back and forth between Colorado and the North Carolina coast her ties to both are strong. She expressed to me she wanted a mix of natural elements mixed in with modern architectural lines and a color scheme that was both moody but still light.

I tried to represent all these elements into her mood board including photos that represent her two ideal clients, modern architectural design with natural elements, the sense of adventure her ideal clients might seek and the beautiful space her ideal clients may work in. When I design a mood board for a client like to ensure there is a reason for every photo I select besides the fact it is a pretty photo in the right color scheme.

After we finalized her mood board we moved onto designing her logo and brand elements. The logo option she chose has a modern line-drawn tree with wave elements to represent her ties to the mountains and coast and pull in the architectural but natural look she wanted. The two patterns are a modern line pattern meant to look like mountains or waves and a topographic map pattern to represent the adventures and travels of her and her clients.

The final piece of the puzzle and my favorite part was her website design. I wanted to include design elements and patterns that really help tie the brand together but I also wanted Melissa's beautiful photography to really shine.

A few screenshots of her site design are below but I urge you to peruse her site yourself by visiting www.saltysprucestudio.com. Especially if you are in need of a photographer for your business or wedding!

And if you are a small business owner either in need of a rebrand or you want to take your business to the next level by reaching your ideal clients with a unique brand, I'd love to chat! I offer free 15-minute intro calls to discuss your needs and get to know each other before committing to a package. There is no better way to start out the new year than to set your business up for success with a well designed brand and website. Fill out my contact form here and I can't wait to chat with you about your business!

This past fall I designed the branding for a friends ethical fashion truck and it was such a dream project to work on. The Flourish Market is a fashion boutique and mobile truck spreading dignity around the globe. They partner with companies who provide dignified jobs and fair wages to artisans and makers in vulnerable communities and I highly recommend checking out the beautiful products they sell.

When Emily came to me with her concept she wanted a brand that communicates a girly wanderlust feel with a sophisticated handmade look to represent the artisans whose work she sells.

I developed a world map graphic with hand drawn patterns as a nod to the handmade products she sells. She already had her color palette of black, blush and gold selected but I tried to strike a balance of girly but sophisticated.

I love how this project turned out and I probably own half of her products as I've in turn become a loyal customer of the beautiful goods she sells. If you live in North Carolina you need to check out her truck schedule as it is such a fun shopping experience with a great cause.